Spring Ohigan, A Time to Reflect
Ohigan Service Guest Speaker Rev. Koen Kikuchi
Inter-Generational Activities
Adult Buddhist Dharma Classes
Events Calendar
Remembrance & Founders’ Day Service
In our Founders’ Day service, we remember the past members of Windward Buddhist Temple (Kailua Hongwanji Mission) and their efforts that helped make WBT what it is today. Today was also our monthly Remembrance Day service, where we remembered family and friends who passed away during the month of February in any year.
Nirvana Day & Pet Memorial Service
Rev. Sol Kalu
Rev. Sol Kalu, Associate Minister at Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin, was our guest speaker for today’s Nirvana Day Service. Nirvana Day commemorates the death of the Buddha and his achievement of Parinirvana, or complete Nirvana.
Watch Rev. Kalu’s educational and informative Dharma Talk about the Buddha’s final days prior to achieving Nirvana below or on our YouTube channel.
Pet Memorial Service
We also held our first pet memorial service at Windward Buddhist Temple. At the beginning of the service, Rev. Sumikawa and Rev. Kalu chanted the Sanbujo. Families were called up individually to offer incense as the names of their departed pets were called.
Dana Day Service & Dharma School
Today’s Dana Day service focused on the principle of dana, or “selfless giving.” Jean Fukumoto, the Windward coordinator for Project Dana, shared an update of the organization. Project Dana was founded in 1989 by the late Shimeji Kanazawa out of Moiliili Hongwanji. Today, it is a multi-faith coalition of 32 churches and temples across Hawaii with over 800 volunteers providing thousands of hours of services and support to the elderly. For more information, or to learn how to participate in Project Dana, please visit their website at www.projectdana.org.
We hold Dharma School on the second Sunday of the month during the school year. Today’s session continued the discussion of interdependence by investigating the interconnectedness found in nature in our local ecosystem.
Dharma School
Sunday Family Service & Intergenerational Activity
Today’s Dharma Talk was presented by Dr. Mike Jaffe. Mike, who also presented at the first Windward Interfaith Service last Tuesday, shared his knowledge of Jewish ethnicity, nationhood, and religion, which are all strongly interrelated, and interwove it with parallels in Buddhism, specifically Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha.
After today’s service, we celebrated our February birthdays. Our intergenerational activity for February had a Valentine’s Day theme and the crafts were enjoyed (and modeled) by all.
February Birthday Celebration
February Intergenerational Activity
February 2020 Newsletter
Windward Interfaith New Years 2020 Service
The first Windward Interfaith New Year Service was held on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at Windward Buddhist Temple. "Realizing Oneness through Diversity," was presented by the Windward Interfaith Ohana: Unity Windward, Christ Church Uniting, the Jewish Faith Tradition, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Ko’olaupoko Baha’i Community, and Windward Buddhist Temple.
Offerings from the evening were donated to RYSE, a 24/7 access center supporting Hawaii's homeless youths. We also learned about the 2020 Census and its importance to the state of Hawaii.
Sunday Family Service & Remembrance Day
Rev. Bert Sumikawa went to India and Nepal last December. Today he took us on a journey through the cities and villages that he visited, and his stops along the way to many historical Buddhist sites.
Sunday Family Service
Today’s Dharma Talk was given by lay speaker Jennifer Kane. She shared experiencing the “shoulds” (“I should have…”) just 19 days into the new year. Jennifer read to us the story of Freddie the Leaf. Freddie, and his neighboring leaves, experience the changing seasons until they all finally fall to the ground during the winter’s snow. Their journey is a lesson in impermanence and a reminder of the temporary nature of human life.
Hoonko Service
Today we observed Hoonko, the memorial service for Jodo Shinshu founder Shinran Shonin. Our guest speaker for our Hoonko Service was Rev. Ryoso Toshima.
Rev. Toshima served as a resident minister at various temples around the state including Hanapepe Hongwanji (Kauai), Honokaa Hongwanji (Big Island), and Waipahu Hongwanji. Following that, he came to the Honpa Hongwanji Betsuin and served as the Rimban (head minister) for many years.
Watch Rev. Toshima’s Hoonko Dharma Talk below.
